FamilyConnect

March 2, 2006
9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown, Atlanta, Georgia
Register online at https://aphcareerconnect.org/jltliregistration.asp

This workshop will provide participants with opportunities to discuss new features in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act or 2004 (IDEA 2004), P.L. 108-446, that pertain to implementation of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). This is a unique opportunity to be part of an interactive workshop that will give you key information from national leaders about the new provisions in IDEA concerning the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). The NIMAC will provide for the storage and distribution of electronic textbook source files from publishers for students who are blind or print disabled.

Through the AFB Textbooks and Instructional Materials Solutions Forum’s 48 national partnerships, participants will be introduced to valuable tools and resources that will help answer questions and provide a solid base for implementing the new provisions from IDEA. IDEA and You: Implementing NIMAS will be relevant for staff from state education agencies, local education agencies, and braille production facilities; textbook administrators; publishers; braille transcribers, access technology specialists; and parents.

The newly published AFB Solutions Forum’s Guidelines Checklist for States and Local Education Agencies will be introduced, since it provides the groundwork for implementing NIMAS. This document offers a self-guided focus to profiling the strengths and weaknesses of the production and delivery process for accessible textbooks and instructional materials. It highlights a collaborative path for managing these efforts for students who are blind or visually impaired.

The afternoon’s round table format will target key questions. This format will provide the audience with ample opportunity to form concrete answers for improving their state and community system for a timely and productive implementation process.

Let’s work together to develop a smooth implementation process. Please join this important national meeting. The cost will be $100.00. If you register for AFB’s 2006 Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute, the cost will be $50.00. For more information, contact Mary Ann Siller, siller@afb.net or at 469-522-1803.